Railway-velocipede.



No. 645,||5. Patented Mar. l3, I900. J. a. MATTHEWS.

RAILWAY VELOGIPEDE.

(Application filed June 16, 1899) (No Model.)

JOHN G. MATTHEWS, OFTHREE RIVERS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE SHEFFIELDOAR COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

FtAl LWAY-VELOCI PEDE.

SPECIFTOATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 645,115, dated March13, 1900.

Application filed Jiuie 16, 1899. Serial No. 720,778. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, JOHN G. MATTHEWS, a

citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Three Rivers, inthe county of St. Joseph and State of Michigan, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Railway-Velocipedes, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in railway-velocipedes.

One object of myinvention is to provide a light, simple, andeflicienthand-car which can be veryeasily handled and manipulated by therider and which is very compact when folded together. The arrangement ofthe parts is such that they can be made very light, and the efficiencyof the structure is very great as a consequence.

A further object is to so construct ahandcar or velocipede that it shallbe very compact and that the propelling mechanism and the load shall beso distributed as to be most completely effective under thecircumstances.

Afurther object is the improvement in the brake for use in thisconnection.

Other objects will appear in the detailed description to follow.

, Iaccomplish the objects of my invention by the devices and meansdescribed in this specification.

The invention is clearly pointed out, and defined in the claims.

The structure is fullyil-lustrated in the accompanying drawings, forminga part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is aside elevation ofmy improved hand-carwith the brace-arms K and L broken away. Fig. 2 is aplan view of the same with the brace-arms K and L broken in sections.Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of the brake for use in this connection.

In the drawings similar letters of reference refer to similar partsthroughout the several views.

Referring to the lettered parts of the drawings, A is the forwardcarrying or driving wheel.

A is the rear carrying-wheel.

B is the top bar or tube of the frame, which is connected by U-shapedpieces O O to parallel side ribs D at each side. The lower ends of theU-shaped piecesO Care provided with adjustable bearin gs for the axlesof the wheels, so that they may be adjusted to keep the wheels in properalinement with the rails of a railway-track.

To the rear U-shaped pieces C is pivoted the cross-arm K. This isconnected to an upright piece C, suitably pivoted. A brace K extendsfrom arm K up to the upright piece O. The arm K extends forwardly at anangle, and the outer end of the arm is turned at right angles to themainframe and carries the guide-wheel J. A rod L is pivoted to the frontof the frame and engages in a suitable perforation n on the brace K.This arrangement of the brace and rod permits very light ma terial to beused in this connection, as the main strain is a thrust strain on thearm K and a pull on the rod L.

On each side piece D is secured a simple bracket 1), in which rests adriving-shaft F. To the outer end of this shaft are secured cranks F Fat each side, which are parallel to each other. On this shaft F issecured a sprocket-wheel E, and a sprocket-wheel E is on the axle of theforward or driving wheel A, and these are connected by a suitablesproeketchain P,which affords the propelling or driving means.

To the front end of the top rib B is pivoted a pair of lovers H, whichhave foot-rests ct a projecting outwardly at the bottom and handles a aat the top to be grasped by the rider. Pitmen G connect the levers H ateach side of the cranks F F. A seat N is provided on top, with small boxN to the rear to serve as a carrier, though an additional seat might beprovided in that position.

From this arrangement of the parts it will be observed that theguide-Wheel J can be folded around in front of the levers and that theWheels of the main portion are so close together that the lovers andguide-wheels can conveniently project beyond the same, thus securinggreat compactness, and by the particular arrangement the weight of therider is so located when the vehicle is in use that the propulsion iseasy and rapid.

I provide a lever I on the forward U shaped piece O, journaled thereonby suitable bearings, having a brake-shoe M, pivoted at e to press uponthe Wheel, and a spring Z), secured to the upper part of the lever andconnected to the frame to hold it normally out of engagement. The handleI of the lever projects up where it can conveniently be grasped by theuser of the velocipede.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a railWay-velocipede, the combination of the main frame consistingof the top rib B, U-shape'd pieces 0, O, at each end with side pieces D,connected thereto; brackets on said side pieces D; a shaft F, resting insaid brackets and having cranks F, F, at each end; a sprocket-wheel E,on said shaft; a sprocket- Wheel E, on the axle of the driving-Wheel;

levers H, pivoted to the front of said frame;

pitmen G, connecting said levers to the cranks; foot-rests a, at thebottoms of said levers; handles a, at the top and an arm supporting aguide-Wheel to rest on the opposite rail, coacting for the purposespecified.

2. In a rai'lway-velo'cipede, the combination of a frame having a toprib B, and U shaped cross-piece in front; a lever With a bearing toembrace said U-shaped section; a bracketshoe pivoted to the front end ofsaid lever and a spring I), connected to the upper part of said lever tohold it normally out of engage: ment for the purpose specified.

3. In a railWay-velocipede, the combination of the main frame; Wheelsbeneath the same, the forward one of which is the driving-wheel; alateral arm carrying a guide-Wheel; a driving-shaft supported in themain frame just back of the driving-Wheel; a sprocket-Wheel on thedriving-shaft; and a sprocket-Wheel on the axle of the driving-Wheel; asprocketchain connecting the same; a crank on the driving-shaft; a leverpivoted to the front of the frame having a foot-rest at the bottom andhandle at the top; and a connecting-link from said lever to the crank onthe drivingshaft, all coacting, for the purpose specified.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my ban (1 and seal in thepresence of two witnesses.

JOHN G. MATTHEWS. [L. s]

Witnesses:

F. H. WHITESELL, I WM. A. MoWRER.

